Luke Kuechly scouting report

Luke Kuechly ILB Boston College

Ht: 6’3″

Wt: 235

Strengths:

Good overall size and strength. Plenty of experience; starter since true freshman season. Intelligent on and off the field. Team leader on defense; will occasionally make pre-snap adjustments. Elite instincts and awareness. Looks comfortable dropping into zone coverage; does a nice job keeping his eyes in backfield and reading quarterback. Shows sideline-to-sideline playmaking ability. Not the fastest athlete, but makes up for it with impressive anticipation and by taking great angles. Very reliable, fundamental tackler.

Weaknesses:

Lacks fluid athleticism to excel in man coverage. Will struggle against most pass-catching tight ends and running backs at the next level. Strength is decent, but not enough to pose a threat as a pass rusher up the middle; if an interior lineman gets his hands on him, he struggles to disengage.

Comments:

Kuechly is a James Laurinaitis clone. Nothing about his measurables make him look like an elite NFL talent, but he more than makes up for it in preparation and instincts. He is as polished as a 20-year-old college linebacker can be and should have no issues immediately stepping into a starting lineup.

About the author

Ryan McCrystal

Ryan launched DraftAce in 2004. His Top 100 board is currently ranked 1st out of 20 publications in The Huddle Report's five-year averages. His mock draft is ranked 10th out of 32 competitors.You can also find Ryan's weekly Heisman Predictor series on ESPN Insider every fall.